Hello wonderful family!
This was a BEAUTIFUL week. Sister Chelson and I were blessed
to walk about without a jacket on yesterday! Things are starting to get green.
People are OUTSIDE. I love contacting people on the streets. Sister Chelson is
such a personable person. She does a great job making people feel loved. Her
smile is CONTAGIOUS.
Our excitement for the week came yesterday at church and in
fast and testimony meeting. Person after person went up to share their
testimony of missionary experiences that they have been having with friends and
family. The stake had a fast for missionary experiences three weeks before we
came into the ward, and they are beginning to see the fruits of their faith.
They are having friends asking about the church, family members coming back to
church, and they are getting more confident with sharing the gospel!!! The
spirit in that testimony meeting was more powerful than I have probably ever felt
in a testimony meeting before. And a LOT of people went up. We have been
writing thank you notes to the members that have been helping us with our
missionary efforts - it is amazing what a simple thing can do to get people
excited to do more. Even our Bishop is getting excited. Whenever I went on
exchanges here, the sisters talked about how great the ward was but they
weren't very missionary minded, the Bishop didn't talk much about missionary
work and very little action was taking place. The two companionships in our
ward had dinner with the Bishop and his family. As we talked with them, the
spirit was filling the room. It was easy to tell that we all felt it. And we
saw a change in our Bishop when we saw him at sacrament meeting! He encouraged
to have everyone invite the missionaries over to feel the spirit in their
homes, that the spirit we bring is "contagious", as well as he
invited everyone to prayerfully consider, as a family, what they are going to
do to be missionaries.
Our ward is also planning a mini mission on the last Sunday
that I will be here! We will be taking the youth around with us to teach
lessons, role play, contact, and even have a dinner appointment. This will be
such a good chance for the youth to see how amazing a mission is!
Sisters Chelson, Barton, Sudweeks and I sang a song in
Sacrament Meeting yesterday also and it went very well!!
GUESS WHAT!!!!!!! We had dinner with Brother and Sister
Anampiu yesterday. Brother Anampiu was telling us about his conversion story.
He was baptized four years ago. And then he asked me if I knew his missionary
because he was from Orem. Elder Henderson!!!! I thought it was so cool to be
able to see the fruits of Elder Henderson's service. That Brother Anampiu is a
worthy Priesthood Holder, has gone through the temple, is married to a
wonderful woman in the church, and is bearing HIS testimony to us about the
gospel. Many people in this ward still talk about Elder Henderson here. Seems
like he really made an impression on these members! Thanks for your service
Trevor!!
I am so excited for this ward. Thank you all so much for
your prayers because it is working in the lives of the people in this area.
Sister Chelson and I love these people SO MUCH!!!! We are so happy :) And we
PROMISE to continue to work to until we drop!!! We will give it our ALL this
week. I love you all so much!!! Have a great week!!! Keep your standards!!!
Sister Bodine
No comments:
Post a Comment